Car-fender.



.Patenfed May l4, 190i. A. W. LINDSEY.

CAR FENDER.

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented ma I4, 19m.

\A. W., LINDSEY.

CA B F E N D E B (Application filed Dec. 14, 1899.)

2 sheets sheet 2.

TNE ma ls PKTERS cc. morauqfnomwnsmuc'rou. n c

NrrEn STATES PATENT FFICE.

ARCHIE W. LINDSEY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES C. OHILLINGWORTH, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,340, dated May 14, 1901.

Application filed December 14, 1899- Serial No. 740,286. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARCHIE W. LINDSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton, State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Fenders; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such asv will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car-fenders in general,and more particularly to that class known as automatically-operated fenders; and it has for one object to provide a construction in which the fender proper will be dropped into operative position under the influence of an apron disposed in advance thereof and having the effect of a trigger.

In the usual arrangement of car-fenders they are disposed so high above the rails as to be of little use; but with the present invention the fender is dropped to rest directly upon the rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction and arrangement whereby the brake will be set the instant the apron is engaged, and at the same time a suitable switch will be opened to break the motor-circuit when the apparatus is applied to an electric car.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is' a side elevation showing a car equipped in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a car, showing the positions of the parts when the mechanism is set and ready for operation. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the positions of the parts after the apron has been engaged to release the fender.

Referring now to the drawings, 5 represents the frame of a car, upon which is built the body '6, comprisingafront platform 7 and a rear platform 8. To the frame is secured the front wheels 9 and the rear wheels 10, mounted upon axles having bearings of usual construction and arrangement.

Upon the under side of the frame 5 and be-' tween the front and rear wheels is formed a guideway 11 upon a plate 12, and in this guideway is disposed a slidable block 13, having a rod 16 connected thereto at one end, this rod being passed through a perforation 14 in a second block 15, which is fixed to the under side of the frame 5. The rod 16 is threaded, as shown, and has a nut 17 engaged therewith. A helical spring 18 is disposed upon the rod 16 and bears'at one end against the nut 17 ,while its opposite end bears against the block 15, the spring acting to hold the rod and its connected block at one limit of their motion.

7 In the path of movement of the block 15 is a lever 19, which is fulcrumed upon the under side of the car-frame andwhich lever is connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum with the front and rear brake-beams 20 and 21, respectively, and which beams are provided with their usual brake-shoes, as shown,

and which are adapted to stand normally from engagement with their respective wheels and to move into operative engagement with the wheels when the helical springis released, as hereinafter described. I

The fender 22 is in the present instance substantially scoop-shaped and comprises a horizontal portion 23 and a vertical; portion 24, said fender being pivotally mounted in hangers 25, depending from the under side of So the careframe and adapted when released to lie with the front edge of the horizontal portion 23 tilted downwardly and resting upon the track-rails. In order to hold the fender normally from engagement with the trackrails, a foot 28 is secured to the portion 23 of the fender and extends 'rearwardly thereof, and, which foot rises when the front edge of the fender is dropped or tilted. In order to prevent the foot from rising, a rod 30 is dis- 9o posed below the under side of the car-frame, and upon this rod is fixed a block 32, adapted to be moved into and out of the path of upward movement of the foot'28. When this block is in the path of upward movementof 5 the foot,'it holds'the fender elevated, asillustrated and as will be readily understood. When the rod 30 is moved to move the block 31 from engagement with the foot 28, the fender falls into operative position. a In order to move the rod 30 rearwardly to release the fender, the rod has pivotal connection with a swinging apron 34, which is hinged to the underside of the front platform of the car and which hangs normally with its lower edge near the track-rail. Thus any obstruction on the track will first be engaged by the apron, which will operate to drop the fender, which will receive the obstruction and prevent it from passing beneath the wheels of the car.

The means for holding the brake-operating rod against the tendency of its helical spring consists of a latch-lever 39, which is fulcrumed upon the plate 12 and one end of which is pivotally connected with the rod 30. The opposite end of the latch-lever 39 carries a finger 10, adapted to engage behind a projection 41 upon the block 13. When the rod 30 is moved rearwardly by the apron, the finger is moved from engagement with the rod 16 and releases it when the helical spring moves said rod to set the brakes, as above described.

In order to move the rod 16 to set the brakes against the tendency of the helical spring, a rack 42 is fixed to the side of the block 13, and with this rack is engaged a pinion 43, provided with a lever 4 1. Thus the block and connected rod may be moved rearwardly, and by operating the apron the finger of the latchlever may be rengaged with the block 13.

A switch is mounted upon the plate 12 and comprises a contact-point 16, connected with one of the controllers upon the car by means of wire 47, and this contact-point is adapted for engagement by the switch-leverri]. The opposite end of the switch-lever lies in the path of movement of the pin 46, carried by the block 13. The switch-lever lies normally in engagement with the contact-point, and when the mechanism is released the pin 46 contacts the lever 47 and moves it from contact with the contact-point. The lever 47 is connected with one terminal of the motor, as indicated in the drawings, by means of a wire 17, the other terminal of the motor being connected to ground in the usual manner. Thus when the latch is operated to release the brake mechanism the pin 46 engages the switch-lever a7 and moves it from the contact-point a6, and thus breaks the circuit through the motor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. The combination with a vehicle, of a pivoted fender, a latch for holding the fender elevated, means for moving the latch from operative relation to the fender, a second latch for holding the first latch against the tendency of its moving means and an apron in advance of the fender connected with the second latch to move it to release the first latch.

2. The combination with an electrically-operated vehicle, of a pivoted fender, a latch for holding the fender elevated, means for moving the latch from the operative relation to the fender, a second latch for holding the first latch against the tendency of its moving means, an apron in advance of the fender and connected with the second latch to move it to release the first latch, a switch in the circuit of the motor of the vehicle, and means for engagement with the switch to break the circuit, said means being held normally inoperative by one of the first-named latches.

3. The combination with a vehicle of a pivoted fender, a latch for holding the fender elevated, means for moving the latch from operative relation to the fender, a second latch for holding the first latch against the tendency of its moving means, an apron in advance of the fender and connected with the second latch to move it to release the first latch, and means for moving the first latch into operative relation with the fender and the second latch.

4. The combination with an electrically-operated vehicle of a pivoted fender, a latch for holding the fender elevated, means for moving the latch from operative relation to the fender, a second-named latch for holding the first latch against the tendency of its moving means, an apron in advance of the fender, and connected with the second latch to move it to release the first latch, and brakes for the wheels of the vehicle, means for setting the brakes controlled by one of the latches and means for operating the first latch to drop the fender and permit operation of the brakes.

5. The combination with a vehicle of a pivoted fender, a latch for holding the fender raised, means for moving the latch to drop the fender, a latch-lever for holding the latch against the tendency of its moving means, an operating-rod connected with the latch-lever and a pivoted apron connected With the op crating-rod for moving it.

6. The combination with a pivoted fender of a movable apron in advance of the fender, a latch for holding the fender normally in inoperative position, connections between the apron and latch for releasing the latter,wheels for the vehicle, brakes for the wheels, means for operating the brakes, means for holding the brakes normally inoperative, and connections between the apron and said holding means for operating the latter to release the brakes when the fender is released.

7. The combination with a movable fender of a movable apron in advance of the fender, a latch for holding the fender normally in inoperative position, connections between the apron and latch for operating the latter to release the fender,wheels for the vehicle, brakes for the wheels, means for operating the brakes, means for holding the brakes normally inoperative, connections between the apron and the holding means for operating the latter to release the brakes, an electric motor for operating the wheels, an electric circuit for the motor, a switch for opening and closing the circuit, and connections between the apron and switch to operate the latter to open the ing the rod retracted, connections between switch when the fender is dropped and brakes the apron and said latch for operating the latoperated. ter to release the rod, and means for return- 8. The combination With a movable fender ingthe spring-pressed rod to reset the brakes. 5 of a movable apron in advance of the fender, In testimony whereof I affix my signature '15 a latch for holding the fender normally in inin the presence of two witnesses. operative position, connections between the ARCHIE W. LINDSEY. apron and latch for releasing the latter, a Witnesses: spring-pressed rod, brakes connected with J. W. REED,

10 the rod for operation thereby, a latch for hold- WALTER MOELREATH. 

